METHODOLOGY
The participants were 20 prospective secondary mathematics teachers[PSTs] in the second semester of their two-year post-degree education program. This was their first course in mathematics education that included a focus on learning through and about problem solving. The study focused on the following intervention intended to help them to understand the problem-solving experience to develop this aspect of MPSKT
The intervention consisted off two approaches. In Approach 1, the PSTs were required to solve three problems; describe in detail narrative form the processes they went through in solving them; develop a model of problem solving based on the processes; share and discuss their processes and models in small groups; develop a group model of problem solving and represent it as a flow chart. In Approach 2, they were required to solve three different problems and describe their solution processes by recording very time they were stuck and got an idea(an Aha!); develop a model of problem solving; share and discuss their processes and models in small groups; develop a group model of problem solving and represent it as a flow chart. Following this, they wrote journals reflecting on what they learned from Approach 2 that they did not from Approach 1. All of the problems were taken from Bolt(1989) so they are of similar nature. Three were used in each approach to allow the PSTs to see a pattern to develop their model of problem solving. Examples of these problems